Japan is anticipated to slip from fourth to sixth place in global economic rankings by 2027, as India and the United Kingdom are expected to surpass it in nominal gross domestic product (GDP), according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Projections indicate that Japan’s nominal GDP will reach $4.34 trillion in 2026 and $4.47 trillion in 2027. This decline in rank is attributed to the yen’s weakness against the US dollar and Japan’s sluggish economic growth.
The IMF forecasts India’s GDP to grow to $4.52 trillion in 2027, potentially elevating the nation from sixth to fourth place globally. The United Kingdom is also set to overtake Japan, with its GDP expected to reach approximately $4.49 trillion by the same year.
The growth outlooks for these economies vary significantly. Japan’s real GDP is expected to expand by only 0.7% in both 2026 and 2027. In contrast, India’s economy is poised for a robust growth of 7% on a fiscal-year basis during the same period, driven by strong domestic demand and a thriving services sector. Meanwhile, the UK’s economy is projected to grow by 1.3% in 2026 and 1.2% in 2027.
Japan, which once held the title of the world’s second-largest economy before being surpassed by China in 2010, fell behind Germany in 2023, settling at fourth place. These latest projections underscore India’s rising economic influence and the shifting dynamics among the world’s leading economies.
